An injured Abby Wambach will be on the bench again Saturday at 6:45 p.m. when Western New York plays at the Chicago Red Stars. That's a sight Flash coach Aaran Lines doesn't want to keep seeing, but he would like to see a repeat of last week's effort.

"It was just positive to see players going in and taking their opportunity," Lines said.

Players like newcomer midfielder Vicky Losada, the 23-year-old from Spain who had two goals and an assist in the 3-1 win at Washington. Players like defender Haley Palmer, an undrafted rookie out of San Diego State who won the starting left back job in training camp, and a returnee like Amy Barczuk, another 23-year-old who started a center back because newly acquired Kat Williamson wasn't available.

"I love working with the Flash for this reason: We play hard, regardless of who the opponent is, the circumstances or where we're playing. They grinded it out," Wambach said Friday about her teammates.

The United States national team star forward from Pittsford suffered a broken orbital bone below her left eye on a collision with a Chinese player during the Americans' 3-0 win on April 10. She planned to play until a CT scan on Saturday showed a fracture. "Hopefully next week I can get a mask made and can play against Portland," in the WNY's May 3 home opener against Portland, a rematch of last year's NWSL title match .

Losada started only because Wambach sat. Her North American debut couldn't have gone better. A slick playmaker from FC Barcelona, she'd joined WNY only two days before. Losada gave the Flash a 1-0 lead on a 32-yard shot in the 15th minute, used a line-drive free kick to the far post to assist on Brittany Taylor's eventual game-winning goal (54th) and showed good composure in the 67th, converting on an 18-yard shot over goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris after a good through-ball pass from Adriana Martin.

"She's super technical. She's knows the game and she's really good at shielding the ball and holding players off," Wambach said of Losada.

Barczuk played only seven matches (two starts) last year in the regular season but an injury to midfielder McCall Zerboni thrust her into the lineup for the playoffs. So Lines was confident she'd fill the spot of Williamson, a second-year pro like Barczuk. Williamson arrived via a four-player trade two weeks ago with Portland.

Lines also needed and got a good performance from Adriana, who slid up from midfield to Wambach's slot at forward. He hopes for more of the same Saturday. Chicago, which played well late last season but just missed the playoffs, is playing its season opener at Toyota Park, home of the Chicago Fire.

The Flash-Stars match is part of a doubleheader that starts with the Fire's 4 p.m. MLS matchup with New England. Chicago has all-NWSL midfielder Lori Chalupny and acquired the forward tandem of Christen Press (U.S) and Melissa Tancredi (Canada) in the off-season. But each isn't expected to play until June.

JDIVERON@DemocratandChronicle.com

Twitter.com/RocDevo

Flash at Chicago

Matchup: Western New York Flash (1-0) vs. Chicago Red Stars (0-0) in National Women's Soccer League action.